The present invention relates to the preparation of long-chain carboxylic acids and alcohols. The acids are not only useful in themselves but can also be used to produce the alcohol which can be used to increase crop yields.
To the present date, syntheses of long-chain carboxylic acids containing up to about thirty carbon atoms in a straight chain have not proven to be useful economically when applied to large scale production. All processes involve a keto-acid intermediate. Some older processes show very low yields and involve additions of various half esters, half acid chlorides (or halides) to organometallic intermediates or beta-keto esters. While some other methods show good yields, they produce contaminated products.
It is an object of this invention to produce long-chain carboxylic acids and their alcohols in improved yields and purity.